


Prompt #94

by StrangeMischief



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-20
Updated: 2018-10-20
Packaged: 2020-10-26 09:53:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20740298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StrangeMischief/pseuds/StrangeMischief
Summary: Tony’s eyes darted unconsciously towards Stephen, a silent plea in his gaze. Help me. Save us. Find an escape.





	Prompt #94

**Author's Note:**

> As always, enjoy :3

_ Prompt #94 _

Stephen peeled open his eyes with a groan, blinking away the spots that danced on the edges of his vision. It didn’t take him long to notice the glowing bonds tied tightly around his wrists and ankles, firmly trapping him against the uncomfortable wooden chair he was sitting on. He tugged uselessly against the bonds, anger quickly rising in his chest.

“Don’t bother,” a familiar voice grumbled from his left. Stephen turned. Tony Stark glared over at him, similarly bound to a chair of his own. “I’ve already tried.” Tony nodded to his bloodied wrists.

Stephen closed his eyes against the headache he could feel forming. He thought back through the day, trying to remember how he had gotten into his current situation.

He had met Tony at some cafe to discuss Avengers things (as in, they spent almost an hour arguing over if Stephen should join or not). Stephen had noticed something off almost immediately but didn’t think anything of it until a portal opened and Mordo appeared. Stephen had barely begun to stand, ready to fight, before everything went black.

Stephen cursed, slumping back in his chair. Tony looked over questioningly, turning as much as he could.

“Strange? What’s wrong? Other than, you know.” _Us being magically tied to uncomfortable chairs_.

“Mordo.”

Tony raised an eyebrow. “Who? I’m not a witch, Strange, you’re going to have to be more specific.”

“I can’t read minds either, Stark.” Stephen sighed. “Mordo was one of my...friends at Kamar-taj before he decided that sorcerers were breaking the natural law too much and left. I assumed he had….” Stephen cleared his throat. “I didn’t expect him to target me so soon.”

Tony nodded slowly, clearly still confused. “Still doesn’t explain why he took _me_. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not exactly the biggest fan of magic.”

“No, really,” Stephen deadpanned, barely resisting the urge to roll his eyes. “I don’t know why you’re here. Maybe he thinks all your fancy toys are some sort of downgraded magic.” Stephen didn’t voice his actual theories. That Tony was here because of him. That Mordo had thought they were..._involved_, somehow, and had decided that kidnapping Tony for leverage against Stephen would be a smart plan. As much as Stephen didn’t want to admit it, Mordo was probably on the right track. Torturing Tony in front of him would make him crack. Fast.

Tony scoffed. “Magic is just science we don’t understand yet.” Stephen shot him a look that clearly said he didn’t believe that statement, and Tony attempted to shrug. “Whatever. Look, can you get us out of here or not?”

Stephen sighed, wiggling his fingers. “My hands can’t really do much behind this stupid chair, so no. Wong will probably notice I’m gone soon and come looking.” _Hopefully_.

With a grumble, Tony opened his mouth to say something sarcastic when a door in front of them creaked open. Stephen’s stomach fell as his suspicions were confirmed.

Mordo strode through the door, a haughty look on his face as he observed his prisoners. Tony began to aim his sarcasm at Mordo, but Stephen shot him a warning look, recognizing the anger and annoyance simmering just beneath Mordo’s skin.

“Do you know how hard it was to capture you and your..._friend_, Stephen?” Mordo asked, twirling his staff in one hand. Orange magic sparked beneath its surface, not unlike the magic that kept Stephen and Tony in place. “For _months_ I’ve planned, but I had to catch you both at the same time, lest one of you escape before I could get the other.” Mordo strode closer, leaning into Tony’s face. The shorter man leaned back, nose scrunched. “Besides, it wouldn’t take long for someone to notice the great Tony Stark’s disappearance, especially his boyfriend.” Mordo glanced at Stephen disdainfully.

“Woah, woah. Slow down, Voldemort. _Stephen_? You think _Stephen_ is my boyfriend?”

Mordo leaned back, raising his eyebrows. “I thought that was obvious, Stark. Or,” he stalked closer towards Stephen. “Is that another thing he hasn’t told you?”

Stephen jerked against his bonds, desperately hoping the movement would loosen them. It didn’t, and with a flick of Mordo’s finger the ropes glowed brighter, and Stephen hissed as they burned his wrists.

“Hey!” Tony called, turning Mordo’s attention back to him. Stephen shook his head, warning him not to, but Tony ignored him. “What have you got against Stephen, anyway? I mean, yeah, he’s an annoying prick at times, but so am I. What’s so special about him?”

\---

Mordo was enjoying toying with his prisoner. “Who will help you now?” he taunted, smirking as the magical binding tightened around his prisoner's wrists.

Tony’s eyes darted unconsciously towards Stephen, a silent plea in his gaze. _Help me. Save us. Find an escape._

Mordo tilted his head, following Tony’s line of sight and laughed when his eyes landed on Stephen. “Did you think he’d help you escape?” Mordo sneered, turning back to snigger at Tony’s face. “_Stephen_? Has he not told you? My, my. Perhaps you’re not as close as I thought.”

“Stephen?” Tony asked, trying, and failing, to peek around Mordo’s broad form.

“One of my most incompetent students, to be kind,” the sorcerer scoffed. “Bright, admittedly, though slow to take to the mystic arts. He lacks the will to do what must be done. _Spineless._”

“An amateur,” Mordo spat, twisting around and shifting the focus of his verbal lashing from Tony to Stephen. “So incapable of elementary tasks you nearly froze to death before managing to open a simple portal.” Stephen’s eyes, usually bright and filled with emotion, were expressionless and stared off into the distance, his face a mask of indifference under Mordo’s cutting words.

Tony knew him well enough to see through the facade, to know it wasn’t true.

“How many months was it, Stephen?” Mordo continued, his lips pulled into a mocking smile. “How much time passed before you could conjure sparks? How much longer still to weave the sparks together into a spell?” Stephen’s lips tightened.

“Stop,” Tony snapped, ignoring the sharp burn that radiated down his arms as he pulled against his restraints. “Strange isn’t some blundering warlock. He faced a monster from another dimension that wanted to consume the Earth! He fought a genocidal alien in space! He’s certainly better than _you._”

“We shall see,” Mordo replied smoothly, a dark grin pulling at his lips. And, then, Tony was lost to a sea of darkness.

\---

Tony collapsed limply into Stephen’s arms with a gasp as the sorcerer released the bonds. Stephen stiffened at the contact before slowly relaxing, pulling Tony into a relieved hug. “It’s okay, we’re okay,” he muttered into Tony’s ear, reassuring himself as much as he was reassuring Tony. “It’s over.”

Tony looked over Stephen’s shoulder at Mordo, whose form was lying motionless on the concrete. “I never...I never knew you were that strong.” Stephen smiled tightly, and Tony swallowed down the bile rising in his throat. He was pretty sure he never wanted to see Stephen get angry - truly angry - ever again. “Di-did you kill him?”

Stephen squeezed his eyes shut. “No,” he murmured, almost unintelligible. “I don’t-I don’t take lives.” He smirked bitterly. “Not on purpose, at least.”

Tony glanced at Mordo again. “What are we going to do with him? I mean, we can’t just leave him here.” Stephen shook his head.

“I’ll tie him up and bring him to Kamar-taj. The other masters will know what to do.”

Tony nodded tiredly, leaning back into Stephen’s embrace. He hesitated, wondering if he should ask the question that had been plaguing him the most. “What did Mordo mean when he called me your boyfriend?” Stephen froze, and Tony immediately wanted to backtrack. “I mean, you don’t have to explain if you don’t want to. I don’t...I wouldn’t...you’re not _horrible_ boyfriend material. I guess.”

Stephen laughed, hugging Tony tighter. “Thanks, Stark. You aren’t too bad yourself.”


End file.
